Morning journal and courier., 1887-12-23
The Fury of the Bl1zzsrd-A Number of Persons Frozen to Death In Ets HcY GrIn.

The Fury of the Blixzard-A Number
 Of Persons Frozen to Death In Tts
 Hey Grip.
 WICHITA, Kansas, Dec. 22.-Additional de- tails of the results of the blizzard were re- ceived to day which prove it to have been the worst ever known in the State. The number of deaths by freezing and starvation is now believed to be at least sixty. Few residents of the eastern part of the State really thought 80 alarming a state of affairs existed and they are now most liberalIy responding to the call for aid The Mayor of Ashland, Clark county, who reached this city this morning, says: "When the blizzard struck the western settlers last Monday they were in many instances entirely out of fuel Sunday was mild and pleasant day and no storm that followed. At about 1 o'clock on Monday morning snow began falling which soon grew into blizzard. The wind came from the north and the snow soon became binding It was almost impossible for any one to travel in the storm. Two lnen-John Henry and John Cotter-en route to Texas left Ashland an hour before the storm began. Their bodies were found the next day on the prairie five miles west of the town frozen stiff. The team which they had was found twenty miles south. The animals had drifted with the wind and becoming exhausted sank into the snow and died. AS soon as the storm ceased rescuing parties left Ashland. A sod house wss the first entered and 8 pitiful sight met the gaze of the were found frozen stiff. Some were sitting bolt upright on stools while the mother lay dead in bed. No fuel could be found about the place. The rescuing party buried the bodies. Bruce O. Freddy, real estate agent of Ashland who had been out in the country looking at claim; was found dead half mile from the limits of the town. He had started home before the storm over took him, lost his way and perished.n When Mayor Packney left his home no other bodies had been recovered but the town had been turned into hospital for those who had not been fatally frozen. A great number had limbs frozen, which in several cases necessi- tated amputation.
 gentleman from Greely county gives a more startling account. Three men left Horace county intending to go 8 short dis tence They wandered around all night and finally one of them sank exhausted in the snow. His companion could not induce him to continue the tramp in search of shelter and they were finally com pelled to leave him. His body was found the next day. The other two kept on and reached dug out where they found shelter. Both had their arms, feet and ears frozen and cannot recover. The same gen. tleman tells a distressing story of the death of an smigrant with his wife and child. They went to 8 ranche just before the blizzard be- came serious and asked to be taken in and given shelter The ranchman refused to re- ceive them and after wandering on for some distance the blizzard became so severe that
 the horses grew unmanageable and turned the wagon over, throwing out the
 mother and child. The babe soon suc- cumbed and then the mother died. The father covered the bodies with the wagon box and started out to find shelter for him self. Ills shouting finally attracted the at- tention of some settlers and he was taken in. Both feet were frozen and before physicians could be summoned he died. Other cases equally sad are reported.
 Three deaths are reported from Ford county, twelve from Mead and five from Stevens Mrs. Riley and her two childrer were frozen to death near Dighton, while six deaths are reported from Greedy, nint | from Wichita and three from Scott county | The blizzard was the worst that has ragged 1 oyer Kansas since it was first settled. Tht weather moderated little to-day.